Karnataka Cabinet okays tunnel road, sky deck projects

Bengaluru: The Cabinet, headed by CM Siddaramaiah, on Thursday gave its in-principle approval for a twin-tube, single-level tunnel road costing Rs 12,690 crore and a 250-metre high sky deck project in Bengaluru, the pet projects of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. 

The sky deck is estimated to cost Rs 500 crore. The Cabinet also approved the setting up of 52 new Indira Canteens besides releasing guidelines to acquire land by issuing development rights certificate (DRC) under the transferable development rights (TDR) in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits.

After the Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told reporters that the Cabinet has given its in-principle approval for the tunnel roads to ease traffic congestion in the city. 

“We will implement this project in a phased manner,” the minister stated. 

According to the feasibility report submitted by Altinac Consulting Engineering INC, constructing an 18.5 km tunnel from Hebbal in the north to Hosur Road in the south (Esteem Mall-Mehkri Circle-Chalukya Circle-Lalbagh-Silk Board Junction) was suitable and interchanges can be constricted at three places. 

The project was announced by the CM in his Budget speech earlier this fiscal year, stating that expansion of existing roads had become difficult due to unavailability of land and complication in the land acquisition process. 

The state government has already appointed Rodic Consultant Pvt Ltd to prepare a detailed project report and also invite tenders under build-operate-transfer (BOT) model.

On the proposed 250-metre sky deck, the minister said the project is estimated to cost Rs 500 crore and is aimed at promoting tourism under the Brand Bengaluru concept. 

Although it was decided at a meeting held under the CM’s chairmanship July 17 to take up this project using the government’s own funds, the finance and planning departments have suggested that it can taken up under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. 

The proposed project is almost certain to come up at Hemmigepura (NICE road clover leaf) that has good connectivity from Tumakuru, Kanakapura, Mysuru and Hosur roads in suburban areas with no traffic congestion.